1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to grinding of fibrous food products, and more specifically to very fine grinding of Kava root.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Kava root is an herb which is becoming more popular as a social drink. It may be used as a nonprescription treatment for anxiety. Kava is the root of the piper methysticum plant, which is native to Malasia and the Polynesian Islands.
Traditionally, Kava has been rough ground and used to form a drink through infusion. This process is similar to the brewing of coffee by infusing hot water through relatively large coffee grounds. This process is wasteful, because a significant amount of the active ingredients in the raw Kava remain behind in the ground root. Thus, a relatively expensive material is used in an inefficient manner.
Further, the resulting infusion has a very strong taste. This taste is objectionable to those who have not grown up with the drink and developed a taste for it.
It would be desirable to provide improved techniques for preparing Kava root. Preferably, these techniques would enable Kava root to be ground extremely fine so that a much greater percentage of the active ingredients can be extracted. It would also be desirable to provide a ground Kava root product which did not have the traditional objectionable taste.